Hallsville, Scott Wilkie and Keir are outstanding schools. They are not in Special Measures so they cannot be forced to convert into a Multi Academy Trust. Two of the schools are already in a Federation which is working very well and all of the schools have a budget surplus.

There is no evidence to prove that Academisation is in the best interest of children. Becoming an Academy will muffle our voices as parents and ruin what is a great form of education by converting it from a community model to a business one which will eventually lead to benefits for a few select people, at the expense of the many.

Newham is a very diverse borough with a multicultural presence. Academisation means that our schools are no longer run by the local authority and are instead open to private, unaccountable interests. One of our key concerns is that we may lose the playing field and grounds which benefit our kids to the interests of property developers.

All school's are extremely good for children with special needs and if academisation goes ahead we will have no guarantee that the current support for and inclusion of SEN children will be maintained.

There is evidence to show that once a public school is converted into a MAT the standard of education often drops and financial oversight becomes much more difficult. Academisation does not improve pupil attainment. There are many cases of squandered reserves, massive CEO salaries and corruption related to Multi-Academy Trusts in this country. And once academisation happens, it is irreversible.

The Consultation process so far has been a farce. Parent concerns have been ignored in Hallsville and Scott Wilkie. The only vocal Parent Governor has been silenced and has been effectively taken off the Board. The remaining Governors will be taking a vote in favour of the MAT very soon as the Chair of Governors claims, with no evidence, that there is unwavering support for the MAT.

This decision should be made by all stakeholders - especially parents and teachers -rather than by a handful of undemocratically selected individuals. Currently, a majority of the Membership board are also Trustees which means there is no independence or real accountability between these two bodies.

We are asking for an extension of this consultation process and for an independent and binding parental ballot which will ensure that this process is democratic rather than the current unfair takeover we are facing.